


he will tend his flock

by Ford_Ye_Fiji



Series: and love will be your teacher [8]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula be trying, Brother-Sister Relationships, But I am always tired, Gen, I am very tired, Iroh imparts some wisdom on his terrifying young niece, I’ll try to add more tags tomorrow my friends, a bit of plot, yeah I was surprised too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 10:30:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21177953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ford_Ye_Fiji/pseuds/Ford_Ye_Fiji
Summary: Azula contemplates her brother and gets advice from Iroh.And more sinister things are at work behind the scenes....





	he will tend his flock

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to say something here that ya'll will understand after reading this- Iroh isn’t stupid. He’s got a pretty good idea who’s trying to uh, mess with things, he’s just looking for solid proof before he fully commits XD

Azula scowled, watching Zuko obsessively practice his forms. 

He was getting better, somehow. She didn’t like it. She was the perfect one, the superior sibling, Zuko was supposed to be the failure- always competing with her and never managing to keep up. 

"What’s wrong, Princess Azula?" 

She jumped, whirling around with wild eyes. 

No one snuck up on her, no one! 

Except, perhaps, Uncle Iroh. Her lips twisted. The old fool who had taken what was rightfully hers and her mother's. She didn’t bow. Instead she composed herself and began picking her nails, "Uncle Iroh. I didn’t... see you there." 

Iroh smiled slightly, catching his niece's uneasy annoyance, "I apologize. It is a bad habit." 

Azula folded her arms and returned to watching Zuko across the courtyard. Her lips curled as she watched him do a set of advanced forms with unfamiliar ease. 

Iroh stepped closer, asking cautiously, "What displeases you, Azula?" 

Her lips twisted, debating answering before sighing, rolling her eyes, and finally speaking, "Zuzu isn’t supposed to be good at firebending." 

"Why not?" 

Azula rolled her eyes, as if it was obvious, "He's not like me. My flames burn so hot they are blue, my control- my technique- is superior in every way. My power is unmatched. I am perfect." She tossed her hair, "Zuzu isn’t good enough. He can’t protect himself." 

"You are, indeed, a prodigy at firebending. You have raw talent, Princess Azula. I would not waste it." 

She blinked, brows drawing down, words icy, "What?" 

Iroh turned, "You are correct that Zuko thinks he isn’t good enough, but therein, both you and he are wrong. True, he won’t ever be like you, striving for perfection and achieving it, but every time he fails, every time he falls down, Azula, he gets back up again. His failure does not define him." 

Azula blinked. 

Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes, a darker gold than her brother's- but still burning just as hot, "Your superiority should not define you either. Both are equally as bad because all humans are fallible. All make mistakes, Princess Azula. Even you." 

Her mouth worked on air and Iroh continued, "When you inevitably make a mistake, Azula, and you will, my dear. You will fall that day, if you still place your identity in your perfection and your father's praise. You will fall very far. That is not something I would wish to see you go through." 

Azula found her words, spitting out viciously, "As if you would know." 

Iroh's eyes softened, turning back to look at Zuko, at his second son, "Oh, Princess Azula, I'm afraid that I know better than anyone."

She swallowed. Her uncle had once been known as the Dragon of the West. Then came the massive failure at Ba Sing Se, his son's death. But that wouldn’t happen- she was  _perfect_ \- 

Had Uncle thought that? 

It was hard to believe, considering the doddering old fool he was now. 

Another thought occurred, "...Zuzu is getting better because of this?"

"I believe so, yes." 

Azula's voice hardened with determination, "...Then I'll do it too. I’ll be better than Zuzu!" 

Iroh raised an eyebrow, "Ah, ah. You will be as good as you can be, not in relation to anyone else. If you truly want to do this, you  _both_ must not compare yourselves to each other." 

She sighed, "Okay." 

Iroh added, "And I do believe Zuko can protect himself." 

Azula scowled and folded her arms, "I’m the one supposed to do that." 

Iroh hummed knowingly, "Why...? Are you bothered by the assassination attempt?" 

Azula scoffed. 

"Worried about your brother?" 

"No!" 

Iroh smirked. 

Azula glared, turned, and, pivoting precisely on her heel, stomped away. 

Iroh watched her go, pleased with their conversation. Azula had changed since he’d last taken a look at her. He suspected it was partly Ursa's doing. 

Maybe there was hope for Azula yet. 

Zuko paused in his firebending and trotted over to Iroh curiously, "Was that Azula?"

"Yes, Prince Zuko. She thinks you’ve improved remarkably." 

"Really?" The Prince beamed and then asked, "May I go practice with my Dao swords now?" 

"Of course, Zuko. You know that it is good to be proficient in different types of weapons." 

Zuko grinned. 

* * *

After the palace had retired to bed, and another tedious war room meeting dispersed, Iroh went to attend to another equally important matter. 

Descending the steps into the palace's very bowels, he stopped at the entrance to a dark room. He inclined his head at the two guards and they stepped aside to let him pass. 

A lone candle flickered in the room, which otherwise held a table, two chairs, and its sole occupant. 

Iroh sighed, "General Huaying, I’m disappointed in you."

The man, he couldn’t have been more than fifty, stared at Iroh, looking infinitely tired and world weary, just like his Fire Lord, "Iroh." 

Iroh removed his hands from his sleeves to pull out the chair and sat down, getting right to the point, "Why, Huaying?" His brows furrowed, "Why a  _coup?_" 

Huaying sighed, defeated, "It’s the war, sir. We were-  _are_ so close. We-  _I_ don’t understand the need for a surrender, let alone a full withdrawal from our occupied territories." 

"Because it is not  _right_, Huaying. The world is out of balance, people are being slaughtered, whole  _generations_ have never known peace. We must stop this needless conflict." 

"But the colonies too?" 

Iroh sighed, fingers massaging his brow, "The earth kingdom and the water tribes have refused to accept any semblance of peace until the fire nation colonies are withdrawn. They insist we must remove them as a gesture of goodwill. I know it is difficult to accept, and a harsh solution- it would be better reached through compromise, but they do not trust us. We  _must_ gain their trust. Under no circumstances can we escalate the situation, even if it means losing territory."

Huaying looked away, "That’s not how we see it."

Iroh leaned forward, pressing gently, "_Who_ sees it?" 

Huaying sighed, looking up at Iroh, slowly dragging his eyes to meet his Fire Lords. Whatever he saw there was not enough to sway him. He gritted his teeth, sad and determined, and shook his head, "I’m sorry, sir. I’m afraid I can’t tell you."

Iroh sighed, nodding in understanding. 

He stood to go, "I hope you feel differently tomorrow, Huaying." 

The General swallowed and as Iroh turned to go, the door opening, he spoke quietly, "Watch your back, Iroh."

The door closed behind him with a small click. 

The next morning, Huaying was found dead in his cell, his guards drugged. Iroh had seen it coming and he merely took the news calmly, jaw tensed and knuckles bone white around his tea.

The murmur of discontent was thick and oppressive in the fire nation as the year turned over. 

**Author's Note:**

> *jazz hands* next part of the series picks up when Zuko is 13! 
> 
> My tumblr is here! ^^  
https://ford-ye-fiji.tumblr.com/


End file.
